Vulcans complete sweep of baseball Rainbows

Advertiser Staff

After 93 losses spanning 26 seasons against their University of Hawai'i system counterpart, the Hilo Vulcans accomplished the improbable over the weekend.

Joey Estrella's UH-Hilo Vulcans doubled their win total with a four-game sweep against their University of Hawai'i system counterpart. Advertiser library photo • May 14, 2000

The Vulcans (8-25-1) started the season 0-10-1 before their first victory, followed by a 10-game losing streak. But they played a schedule that featured nationally ranked Florida State, as well as other teams expected to contend for regional berths.

"As I said at the beginning of the year, the team chemistry was better than the last couple of years," UHH coach Joey Estrella said. "I felt for the team early in the year, but we've been playing well lately. I feel wonderful for these kids who worked hard. They had patience and they persevered."

The series was the last one at home for the Vulcans, who will come to Honolulu to play in the Rainbow Easter Tournament, then travel to the West Coast to close out the season. The Vulcans improved their series record with the Rainbows to 19-93.

Meanwhile, the Rainbows (7-16) have dropped seven in a row.

"Basically, everything that has happened to this point, I have to take total responsibility," Rainbows coach Mike Trapasso said. "I didn't have us prepared like I thought we were. I need to do a better job at practice because we don't play like we practice, so we need to change our approach because it's not working with this group. I know we can play better than we have played."

The tale of the two teams was evident in the seven-inning opener. The Rainbows batted around in a three-run third inning, scoring on a two-run single by Grady Symonds and a bases-loaded walk by Lane Nogawa. But UH left the bases loaded to end the inning. They got a run in the fourth to take a 4-0 lead.

The Vulcans also batted around in their half of the third inning; they scored six, stranding no one in the process. A two-out, two-run double by Nalei Sooto tied the game at 4 and Keola Park's two-run home run to right ended UHM starter Ricky Bauer's day after 2á innings.

The Vulcans got an insurance run in the fourth on a wild pitch.

Jason Miyahira (1-0) allowed an unearned run in three innings of middle relief of starter Jeremiah Wolske (four runs, three earned in three innings).

In the nine-inning second game, the Rainbows squandered their best starting pitching effort by freshman right-hander Jason Piepmeier. He scattered three hits and five walks (three intentional to Johnny Dudoit, whose four RBIs beat UHM in the first game of the series) while allowing one run in 6 1/3 innings.

"Jason was the only bright spot of the weekend," Trapasso said. "I would have liked to have left him in longer, but he was nearing the 100-pitch mark. But he has definitely earned a start next weekend. He was pretty special (today). It's just ashamed we got three hits in nine innings."

UHH starter Clay Daugherty allowed a run on two hits in 6á innings. He walked none and had eight strikeouts.

Piepmeier allowed a two-out, RBI double to Park in the first inning before giving way to Matt Le Ducq with one out in the seventh.

The Rainbows tied the game in the seventh when Scooter Martines and Chad Boudon got successive hit batsmen by Daugherty with two outs. Cortland Wilson singled to left, scoring Martines, who collided with catcher Sooto at the plate, jarring the ball loose.

The Vulcans won it in the eighth. With one out, Sooto reached safely on a two-base throwing error by third baseman Brent Cook. Le Ducq struck out Park, but Chad Agustin doubled to left to score Sooto with the go-ahead run. Agustin scored the insurance run on pinch-hitter Sean Tamura's single to left.

Joel Zimmerman (1-1) pitched the final 2 1/3 scoreless innings for the Vulcans, retiring all seven batters he faced.